The Film Daily (1928)

THE jTfjrsday, August 16. 1928 DAILV ««' NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FAST GROWING FIELD OF SYNCHRONIZATION SOUND PICTURES TIPS ON EQUIPMENT AND VARIOUS DE | VICES ARE NOW AVAILABLE By ARTHUR W. EDDY m Wm NEEDED AS NOVELTY WEARS OEF ;t. Louis — Novelty of sound pict es is wearing off, with patrons vw adopting a critical attitude. J'-retofore regarded as a fad, the Sjnd picture now must present (ality entertainment, in order to ^t by, locally at least. The principle competition to sound rinres, it is believed, will be the i,t in the flesh, and patrons will i>t that the synchronization in MHid pictures be faultless. Skouras Bros., have installed sound uiipment in the Ambassador. They 1 \ e been playing Vitaphone in the (and Central since last winter. iLw's State also has been equipped, ;(i the Missouri is making its debut lis week as a sound house. y Completes First Sound Single Reel Subject est Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Universal City — Bill Bailey of the udeville team of Bailey and Barun has just completed a talking ni at Universal City. It is proicid in the form of a vaudeville t, having monologue and singing, I'loduced by Movietone. Bailey t reduces such songs as "Rollin' long," "My Mammy," "June ight and "Canteloupe" in the film unbers for which he is well and vorably known on the vaudeville age. The picture is a one-reeler. "Sijniba" Now Only Film Handled as Roadshow Withdrawal of "Wings" as a roadshow leaves "Simba" as the only roadshow production sent out for the new season. Eight "Simba" companies have been organized, four carrying complete equipment, for presentation in the key cities, and four carrying only the picture and its Dulcetone accompaniment, for playing in the smaller towns. The picture will not be released for poppriced runs until next season, M. J. Weisfeldt stating the company will insist on two-a-day showings at $1.50 top. Frank R. Wilson now is in London arranging for opening of the picture Sept. 10 at the Palace. Gus Edwards Signed to Aid M-G-M Sound Films West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Returning to Los Angeles after a trip to New York to confer with Eastern executives regarding sound pictures, Harry Rapf, M-G-M producer, announces signing of Gus Edwards to aid in production of sound and talking pictures. Edwards will leave New York soon for the Coast, where he will devote all his time to creation of musical compositions and supervision of scenes in films involving cabaret or musical comedy sequences. Musicians Profess No Fear Over Sound ! (.Continued from Page 1) il synchronizing studios in New York ad on the Coast not to sign term ontracts, but to work on a week-to 'eek basis, pending determination of le federation's policy with respect > these musicians. "Attempts to use sound pictures as substitute for music are inspired by ie exhibitor's desperation to retrive bme of this outlay," says Weber. ;We do not believe he will find it Sasible to do this retrieving at the rice of debasing music because that ill mean box-office losses at a time hen the contrary is unmistakably idicated." mother Sound House at Cleveland Cleveland — Loew's Cameo is being quipped with Vitaphone. The Stilllan, Allen and State are already quipped for sound pictures. Sound for Stanley-Fabian House ! Hoboken, N. J.— The U. S. has jieen closed for renovating by Staney-Fabian. Sound equipment and . new organ is to be installed. The louse reopens in September. Texas Guinan Signed as Star for Vitaphone Texas Guinan will return to the screen as a Vitaphone star, and her first picture will be "Queen of the Night Cluh." Addison Burkhardt and Murray Roth wrote the story. Miss Guinan will go to Hollywood late in September to begin work under Bryan Foy's direction. Showings of "Tom" with Sound Private screening of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," first Universal synchronized picture, are being held throughout the country, following the New York screening. Albany and Indianapolis are cities where screenings have been held. Blind "See" Paramount Sound Film West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Special performance of "Warming Up," Paramount's first sound picture, was given here for several hundred of the city's blind. Alliance, Neb., Orders Movietone Alliance, Neb. — The Rialto is to be reopened by J. E. Hughes about Sept. 1. Movietone equipment has been ordered for the house. Thomas at Portland, Ore. Portland, Ore. ■ — F. T. Thomas, formerly located at Pomona, is new manager of the Broadway here. West Coast house. DRAMAPHONE, NEW CUEING E, USES RECORDS Chicago — Dramaphone, phonographic machine, designed for cueing pictures, is being marketed by Musical Devices Corp. The machine has two turntables and is mounted in an indestructible steel cabinet. Price ranges from $500 up. No stock machine is manufactured, each installation being built to specifications. The amplification is a special system. The company services the machine at a low cost. It has a public address system and also is manufacturer of the Electrophone radio distribution systems. Synchronization for N. Y. "Lilac Time" Run Friday Sound synchronization will accompany presentation of "Lilac Time," at the Central, New York, starting tomorrow. Western Electric sound apparatus is being used. Differences between unions as to the wiring of the theaters, which prevented the use of mechanical sound accompaniment at the opening of "Lilac Time" Aug. 3, have been settled and the picture will now be run with the full sound score. At the Carthy Circle, Los Angeles; the Roosevelt, Chicago; the New tirand Central, St. Louis; the Stanley, Pittsburgh; the Burns, Colorado S^prings and other cities, sound effects are being used. "Perfect Crime" to Get Third Week at Rivoli "The Perfect Crime," FBO's first talker, will be held over for a third week at the Rivoli, New York. RCAPhotophone was used for the sound sequences. Five other pictures are slated for synchronization by this method. Sound in Ottawa Suburban Ottawa— P. J. Nolan of the Rex and Columbia has caused some stir locally by announcing that his new suburban house, the Avalon, scheduled to open in September, will be wired for sound. Nolan claims this will be the first picture house in the Dominion to offer sound pictures as a permanent feature. Sunday Shows in Texas Dallas — Several theaters of south Texas now are presenting Sunday shows, presenting programs free. Sound for Texarkana Texarkana, Tex. — Sound pictures are to make their debut at the Saenger here Sept. 27. BRIT. AND FOREIGN FILMS USING GERMAN SYSTEM London — British and Foreign F'ilms of which Frank Norman-Wright is managing director will use sound, restoring to a German system to do so. Oscar Messter, a director of the company, is identified with the Tobis, name of the unified German sound system. The latest system on the British market is Philmphone, sponsored by the Electramonic Co., Ltd., of which W. H. Sayers is managing director. This is a disc system, using the Electramonic phonograph as the basis, but which, it is said, permits recording as well. The company has built a factory at Southwark. Swift Names Managers for New Vitaphone Branches Paul J. Swift, general sales manager of Vitaphone, has appointed managers of the two new Vitaphone branches to be opened in Philadelphia and Dallas. The branch at Philadelphia, will be in charge of George Lees. Division Manager N. J. Aires will also make his headquarters there. C. D. Touchon, former Warner branch manager, has been made manager of the Vitaphone Dallas branch. Other additions and transfers in Vitaphone personnel are as follows: Harry Danto, formerly field representative in the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati territory, has been transferred to Chicago as division manager with supervision over Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Omaha. A. W. Weinberger succeeds Danto. Connecticut Chain Signs for Vitaphone Service . New Haven, Conn. — Hoffman Bros.' circuit, which has ten Connecticut theaters, has signed for Vitaphone. Service is to start about Oct. 1. Theaters in the chain are: Strand and Princess, Hartford; Strand and New, Waterbury; Capitol and Strand, New Britain; Capitol, Ansonia; Palace, Torrington; Gem, Willimantic, and State, South Manchester. Rinty First Dog in Sound Film West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Rin-Tin-Tin, Warner Bros. Star, is the first canine player to be starred in sound pictures. The Warner Studio has announced that two Rin-Tin-Tin pictures with Vitaphone are already finished. They are "Land of the Silver Fox" and "The Million Dollar Collar." Talley Buys Devine, Tex., House Devine, Tex.— T. H. Talley has purchased the Majestic here from H. H. Peace.